# Understanding the Accountability for Endless Wars Act

This bill would put an automatic expiration date on military authorizations. Right now, when Congress approves a military operation or declares war, that approval can stay in effect indefinitely—sometimes for decades. This bill would change that by requiring Congress to actively renew any military authorization every 10 years or it automatically expires.

For any new military actions Congress approves after this bill passes, the authorization would automatically end after 10 years unless Congress votes to extend it. For military operations already happening—like ongoing operations in the Middle East that have been authorized under decades-old authorizations—this bill would give Congress 180 days (about six months) to decide whether to keep them going. After that period, those old authorizations would expire unless Congress votes to renew them.

The practical effect is that Congress would be forced to regularly revisit and debate whether military operations should continue. Supporters argue this prevents wars from continuing indefinitely without public attention or debate, and ensures that each generation of Congress has a say in military commitments. Critics worry it could create uncertainty for military operations or force frequent political battles over military policy. Either way, the bill would fundamentally change how long military authorizations last and require Congress to actively choose to keep military operations going rather than letting old approvals continue on autopilot.